The girls : Silver
by GalliaDavia
Summary: Some oneshots about the Expendables girls... this is how they get together/along or go separate ways... in order not to let things get too confusing, I decided to separate the oneshots recently. Gunnar/Silver. Reviews are very welcome!
1. Chapter 1

_This scene takes place right after the shooting at the abandoned warehouse during the first movie_

* * *

_**Gunnar / Silver**_

* * *

„Silver, I got a call for you here."

„This is not a good time", Silver answered casually without even looking up from the picture she was working on. „I am _very_ busy here."

Michael frowned.

„Man´s insisting on talking to you. Says it´s urgent."

She sighed.

„Alright!"

She put the spray gun aside.

„I´m coming!"

„I _do_ hope this is urgent!" she mumbled with another look at her work.

„Yeah", she only said, accepting the phone from Michael with a thankful nod.

„Silver, this is Barney."

Silver turned away from her boss, not keen on letting him see her facial expression darken.

„What can I do for you ?" she asked, chosing the words as neutral as possible.

„It´s about Gunnar."

Silver suppressed a sigh. As if things had ever been about someone else. She knew that Barney wouldn´t call her without a good reason. To her relief, she knew as well that, if things would have been dead serious, he wouldn´t have called but would have come to see her.

„What´s wrong ?" she asked, lowering her voice.

* * *

„He got shot."

The line fell silent for a moment. After the words had finally found their way into her brain, she reached for the chair behind the small desk. She had suddenly to sit down.

„He´s alive", he hurried to add. „But, well..."

She had always feared something like that to happen. Sure, she had kwown the risks, and still...they were daredevils, the whole goddamn bunch, but they had always been damn lucky so far.

„How bad is it ?" she asked when she had found her words again.

„The bullet went clean through."

Silver exhaled sharply.

„Clean through _where_ ?" she asked. „Where the hell are you ? This happened on a job ?"

Her questions left Barney surprised. He decided to answer only the question that seemed the most important to answer to him by now.

„We´re in town", he answered, surprised that she was obviously not aware of that.

There was another pause. Then Silver cleared her throat.

„I´ll get back to you in a second", she said, hanging up abruptly.

* * *

She hurried out of the backdoor, the connection to Barney already established, though this time from her cell to his.

„Look", she said, realizing that Barney obviously lacked some crucial information. „I kicked him out some weeks ago. I´ve seen him only one time since. I thought he might have...mentioned it. Things have been rather...tense for a while."

Barney exchanged a frustrated look with Yang on the passenger´s seat. Now it became obvious to him why Gunnar´s drug use had become worse recently.

„No, he didn´t", he said. So things had not only been tense around Gunnar regarding the team. „Look, I am in a hurry. I called Pete Johnson at the hospital."

She swallowed hard.

„Go ahead", she only said then.

„Tool promised to get him there somehow. I just wanted you to know."

„Will there be more trouble ?" she asked, clearly wanting to know if she had to expect uninvited visitors.

Barney frowned.

„No."

She sighed.

„Well, that´s a start", she said. „You´re leaving town ?"

There was another pause.

„Yeah."

She couldn´t else but think that Barney sounded remarkably tense as well by the guy´s usual standards.

„Is it a lot to ask you to go there and take care of him ?" he inquired.

Silver bit her lip.

She was still damn angry. But it was like things always were - even the most heated dispute seemed suddenly irrelevant if things were about life and death.

„Actually, it is", she said, sounding angry but worried at the same time to the man on the other end. „But wait, he got shot on the way _to_ a job then ?"

„Something like that. Look, I made a bad mistake and I´ll make things right if I can, but I got to take care of something else first. I promise, I´ll explain when I am back."

„Won´t he be able to ?"

Barney sighed.

„I think he´ll be. I got to get abroad as soon as possible. I´ll get in touch as soon as I am back. You got my word."

She took a deep breath.

„Alright. Thanks for callin´."

„Take care", he said.

She grimaced at the expression from one of the guys of all people.

„You too", she said before the connection broke.

It left Silver wondering what was that damn important that Barney left a wounded brother behind in a situation like this.

* * *

She returned to her boss and colleagues, feeling slightly dazed.

„Got to go", she said, passing Michael. „Sarah, could you take care of my equipment ?"

The girl nodded.

„Sure."

„Wait a second!" Michael interrupted. „What do you mean, you got to go ?"

„It´s an emergency."

„Wait!" Michael said, following her. „What kind of emergency ?"

Silver threw her cigarettes and cell phone into her purse and searched at the same time for her keys.

„Please, Mike! Can we talk later on ?"

„Is this about _him_ again ?"

Silver would have preferred not to tell them, but Michael´s unexpected objection left her without a choice.

„When the hell will you get rid of that freak ?" he asked.

„Watch your tongue", she retorted sharply.

„Didn´t you call him a freak just two days ago ?" Michael reminded her.

„Do I call your wife a bitch only ´cause you´re calling her one ?" she asked without thinking, feeling her worry changing into anger. „And now stop harassing me, he got shot."

„_Shot_ ?" Michael echoed.

„Like in shot dead ?" Sarah chimed in.

The unexpected comment made both Silver and Michael turn towards their young assistant. Sarah was a good soul and highly creative, but still not the brightest cookie.

„Yeah, like in shot dead, but without the dead", Silver answered stoically.

„I´m sorry", she said, turning to Michael again. „I call you as soon as I know more."

He nodded.

„It´s alright."

„And I really hoped she would finally find herself a somewhat less crazy asshole to live with", he mumbled, watching her getting into her car.

* * *

Tool got up from his seat when Silver arrived at the waiting area of the hospital.

„How is he ?" she asked, skipping all pleasantries. Tool didn´t take offence, given the situation.

„Well, they´re treating him, but the darling over there is somewhat new to business. She wouldn´t tell me any more."

Silver glanced at the middle-aged nurse at the reception and frowned. The team had gotten patched up at this place for years. A profitable contract between them and the head of the hospital and the guys made that possible without questions and, at least usually, with answers to people who brought another one of them here, no matter if related to him or her or not.

„Actually, she doesn´t look like exactly that new to business. Let´s see what she´s going to do for me!"

* * *

Silver already hated the nurse the moment the older woman laid eyes on her for the first time. She didn´t like being mustered that disparagingly.

„See, I don´t care for your instructions! I wanna know how he is - and I wanna see him _now_!"

„Well, as I already told you..."

„Good Lord!"

Silver fumbled her ID out of her purse and rather banged it down to the counter in front of her.

The nurse took her time to study it. In fact, it took her so long that Silver started to doubt if she could actually read.

Then the nurse readjusted her glasses to eye Silver up thoroughly for the second time.

„And you´re Mister Jensen´s... daughter ?" she asked.

Tool right next to Silver feared the worst by now. He took a step forward to interfere if necessary.

Now the former table dancer looked the nurse up and down, then gave her a cold stare out of piercingly grey eyes that would have made anyone else freeze to death right away.

Silver bent a little forward as if she wanted to speak confidentially to the woman behind the counter. The nurse did the same, rather as an automatic reaction to Silver´s doings.

„He is my _husband _!" Silver said, emphasizing every word as if she was talking to a dimwit. „And before you even _start_ to think about it, I don´t give a shit if you think of him as my sugar daddy or my pimp or of me as a slut, so spare me your snide glances - I won´t tell you what I am thinking about you in return."

The nurse coloured slightly and Tool wondered if this was really the right way to get answers from her.

Silver took a step away from the counter.

„I strongly suggest that you get me a doctor here to talk to me _now_ if you don´t want me to stir this place up!" she stated in a dangerously quiet tone.

„If you don´t calm down, _Ma´am, _I´ll have to call for the security", the older female told her indignantly.

„Go ahead", Silver gave back, unimpressed. „As you obviously already deduced, I´ve been in bed with one half of the people they employ for this job here, and gave the other half most likely at least one tattoo - they will understand. Now, if you´d please ?"

„Alright", the nurse gave finally in. „I´ll see what I can do."

* * *

„I kill her."

Tool did his best to suppress a grin.

„I really don´t think that´s necessary."

„I strongly disagree", Silver retorted, staring down at the forms the nurse had handed her to fill out.

This time, he couldn´t else but chuckle at the polite retort.

„What a bitch!" she mumbled. „What did she do before ? Killing old people entrusted to her care for their money ?"

Most of the people working around here had screwed things up somewhere along their former career.

She frustratedly waved the clipboard with the forms the nurse had given her.

„What the hell is all that shit anyway ?! Since when do I have to fill out forms here ?!"

„Let me have a look", he suggested, taking the paperwork out of her hand. Silver had some kind of dyslexia issue going on. He knew that the stress made that problem only worse.

She had already asked Tool about the reasons for the mess Gunnar had gotten himself into again, but had to face the fact that if he knew more than he had already told her - which had been more or less the same what she had already known from Barney - he wouldn´t tell her. Now her impatience and worry had fully come down to the nurse.

„May I ask you what happened for a change ?" Tool threw in to distract her.

„He was damn stoned again. We had an argument. I kicked him out."

„That´s all ?"

Silver sat back and took a deep breath.

„He sat the kitchen on fire !"

Tool grimaced.

„Accidentally ?"

„On purpose!" Silver spat. „To ´_prove a point` _!"

„Oops", Tool commented, raising his eyebrows.

„Yeah, oops."

Silver shook her head, the rage inside her boiling up again.

„There comes Emanuel. We should get some answers now", Tool said, watching the doctor enter the waiting area.

* * *

When Silver was finally allowed to see Gunnar, she entered the room quietly. His eyes were closed, his breathing regular. She sent a short prayer up to heaven that he was still breathing at all.

She circled the bed. He opened his eyes the moment she covered his hand with hers.

Relief showed on his face when he recognized her.

„Hey", he said hoarsely.

„Hey", she answered quietly, sitting carefully down on the edge of the bed.

„Glad you came", he said.

„As if I wouldn´t have", she answered somewhat lamely.

* * *

The next day while she was visiting, he watched her folding his clothes.

She threw him only a short sideglance when she realized that he observed her. In dark jeans and a fitting shirt and sandals, the mass of black hair in a tight pony-tail and without any make-up, she looked almost ordinary. Only the flames tattoo around her wrist looked somewhat suspicous in this picture.

„Stop staring", she demanded lazily without even looking at him.

„You know, like this, you look almost...decent."

Now she turned her head and gave him a dark stare, the gray piercing eyes narrowed.

„_Now_ you look like you´re going to slap me right in the face", he stated.

She considered his words for a moment, then tilted her head.

„I´ve a good mind to do that", she admitted with a shrug.

„You´re still that angry because of our little quarrel ?" he inquired carefully.

„_No !_" she answered. „I am that angry ´cause this is what happens every fuckin´ time! I kick your ass for something and the next second I look you´re up shit creek again! How very convenient!"

„I wouldn´t have shot myself just to lure you here, you know."

She shifted her weight and put one hand to her hip, his shirt still in the other hand.

„Gunnar, I believe as much that you´re the innocent victim here as people usually believe me the innocent girl!"

„And how boring would that be", he mused thoughtfully.

„You´re gonna tell me what happened ?" she asked, making another attempt to fold the shirt.

He frowned. She had never asked what had happened before, at least as long as she believed that it had happened on a job.

He watched her for a little while. He loved every inch of that woman. Things had never been all pink and cosy, rather bittersweet and fiery. In one way or another, they were like fire and water and both aware of it. Still, for him, it had always been perfect. Life was not all pink and cosy either, so he had never expected a woman or a relationship would be.

„I made a mistake", he finally said.

He could virtually watch her trying to decide if to rebuke him or to listen to him. After a moment, she sat down on the edge of the bed and signalled him silently that she would listen.

He had no idea how to explain to her what had happened at that abandoned warehouse.

„Funny", she said eventually when he didn´t go on. „That´s exactly what Barney said when he called me."

„Barney called you ?" he asked, surprised.

„Who else should have called me ?" she asked, slightly confused.

He shrugged, then grimaced. The movement had caused stinging pain despite the painkillers.

„I was wondering...", Silver said.

„´bout what ?" he inquired.

„About him leaving you behind all on your own."

She noticed the short twitch around his mouth. His expression darkened.

„As I said. I made a mistake. And he didn´t leave just like that."

He laid back and averted his gaze. Suddenly, he looked badly cut up.

She frowned.

„What kind of mistake does it take to make him leave you there ?"

She watched him briefly, then frowned again.

„What the hell did you do ?" she asked.

* * *

When Silver answered the door the next day, she faced Barney.

„Hey", he said.

„Hey", she answered, stepping aside and gesturing to him to get in.

* * *

„How´s he doing ?" Barney asked, unsure how to start this conversation.

Silver eyed him up openly. The bruises, the cuts, the traces the fatigue had left on his face.

„Regarding the wound, good."

Barney nodded, obviously relieved.

„Regarding the drugs wearing off - damn bad!"

Barney frowned.

Suddenly, Silver´s patience snapped.

„You shoot my man, leave me alone with an addicted maniac convinced that he´s dying and then you come here just like that, asking how _he´s_ doing ?!" she exploded. „You really got some nerve!"

Barney had no idea what to answer her. Things felt still rather unreal to him.

She had been busy searching her purse for a cigarette and had finally found one.

„He really tried to kill you ?" she asked, a little calmer.

Barney nodded.

„And Yang."

„Good Lord", she said. „Let´s get outside, I need a cigarette now. And I need to hear your side of the story."

* * *

„We can´t work like that. It´s one thing with the drinking..."

„Sorry", she said. „I still can´t believe you shot him."

Barney silently watched her pacing up and down. Silver was the very opposite of Gunnar in many respects. Long dark hair framed the finely chiselled features. She was not small, but slender, still not without curves wherever needed at a woman, and he wondered if she weighed only half as much as his Swedish teammate. Without the nose and tongue piercings and the tattoo around her wrist, she would have looked quite innocent, the amazing tattoo along her spine hidden for now under her clothes and hair. But when she opened her mouth, the game was lost. Where Gunnar could be unnervingly tightlipped sometimes, she had the gift of the gab - and was most likely the one to call the shots in their relationship.

Right now, the piercing grey eyes demanded an answer of some kind.

„I had no choice", he answered gravely.

She waved a small hand.

„I heard you. Still workin´ on believin´ it."

She sighed.

„So he´s become a burden, huh ?" she asked then.

„Rather unpredictable lately."

Silver laughed, taking another pull on her cigarette, staring into nowhere.

„You don´t tell!"

Barney frowned.

„Look, this is as unpleasant for me as for you. I have to talk to him. And I thought it wise to talk to you first."

She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck.

„What are you going to do ?" she asked.

Barney shrugged. He and the guys had talked about this. It had actually not even taken them very long to come to a decision. Crazy or not, he was one of them, and he was in trouble.

„If he stops using, he´s back."

„You would take him back after he tried to kill you and Yang ?"

„He´s out of his mind."

Silver chortled again.

„That´s not new."

Forcing her anger and worries back for a moment, she realized that Barney looked as miserable as she felt by now.

„I let him down. Whatever I can do to get him back on track - I´ll do! And I am sure, if there´y anything one of the others can do..."

„Jeez", Silver said with a hint of displeasure in her voice. „You guys usually try so hard to make everyone believe that you don´t care about each other."

„What about you ?" Barney asked.

Her facial expression changed.

„Same here", she said. „If he stops using, he´s back."

She closed her eyes for a moment.

„Damn, Barney, you know what´s it´s like with me and him! I mean, I wanted the whole damn package and I never regretted it! He went through a lot of shit with me some years ago as well and I don´t want to let him down. But the drug thing...it makes things just impossible. On the other hand, I don´t want to imagine what it will be like if he really tries to get clean. To be honest, I don´t know if I´ll be able to see that through. I don´t even have any idea where to start or what it takes and I am damn afraid!"

„Of him ?"

She shook her head, a weak smile on her face.

„No. You know that he would never raise a hand against me. But thinking about it, that probably doesn´t apply anymore - I mean, regarding him trying to kill you. But I rather fear of what it will take to get him...well, back on track, as you said. He´s not the guy to accept any kind of control!"

Silver stopped pacing and locked eyes with Barney.

„I was wondering why he was that devastated when I last met him two weeks ago. Now I know. Without the gang, he´s nothing", she stated.

Barney locked eyes with her.

„It´s the same without you", Barney muttered.

* * *

„They say they are going to let me out of here tomorrow."

They exchanged a short glance.

Then he reached out for her hand.

„You´re not wearing your ring."

Letting go of her hand, he brushed a strand of dark hair out of her face. It made a chain become visible around her neck. He put one fingertip under it to pull the rest of it out from under the shirt. To his surprise, the chain held two rings, one considerably bigger than the other.

„How did that go ?" he asked.

„You were obviously carrying yours around in the pocket of your jeans", she answered with a wry look. „I just found it a safer place the day they took you here."

„´s there any chance you´re going to take me home ?" he asked and let go of the chain just to follow it along with one fingertip on her skin.

She didn´t evade his touch, but shook her head. She loved him, still and badly, and back when things had started, he had been there for her, had backed her up stoically and unflappable. She wondered if she would ever be able to muster half his patience.

„No", she said.

He sat back, obviously surprised. Her suspicions had been right. He had been damn sure that she would agree. Right now, he looked devastated.

„Thought, maybe,..."

„If I take you home with me", she interrupted him. „Everything will be just like before. Knowing that I´ll welcome you back, no matter what you do or not, why should you even try to change something ?"

She could watch different emotions wash over his face, but he kept silent.

„Gunnar, I need you to take a decision."

„I can´t just _decide_ this!" he argued hoarsely.

„I know. But I need you to decide if you´re going to try and get clean now or not. If you´ll try, I´ll be with you. I am not going to let you down. But I need you to decide for a way to go now. Tell me tomorrow. I´ll come and take you to your place."

„It´s not really the place for a prolongued stay", he muttered.

„We´ll find you something", she said emphatically.

She reached for the chain around her neck and opened it. She closed the clip again, then grabbed his hand and put the chain with the two rings into his palm.

„What you´re doing ?"

„It may help you think", she said.

Gunnar was not the man to show emotions openly, but she knew him good enough to know how that this was hard to swallow for him. Still, she didn´t see another way.

„I am not going to take you home just like this, just like the guys won´t welcome you back just like this."

„Some inches lower and I would have died."

She smiled.

„Don´t you see how damn lucky you are ?" she asked quietly. „Not many people get a second chance like that."

She squeezed his hand, then got up.

„Now use your damn genius brain to what it´s made for and think about it. See ya tomorrow."

She had almost reached the door when he spoke up.

„Wait."

She turned.

„What about a little encouragement ?" he asked.

Silver hesitated, then sighed and returned to him for a kiss. It turned out difficult for her even to end the kiss and she wondered if she would ever be able to really break up with him even if he´d fail to get away from the drugs.

„What if I try and fail?" he asked promptly in a hushed tone.

„All in good time, okay ? I got to go now."

He nodded.

She got up and headed for the door.

* * *

With the door closed behind her, she granted herself a moment to take a deep breath. She closed her eyes. It took all her self-control to suppress the rising tears.

„Just take the right decision", she mumbled to herself.


	2. Chapter 2

_Some months later._

* * *

When Gunnar woke early in the morning, he barely dared to move, fearing to disturb the beauty still sleeping in his arm.

It had been the first night for months he had spent at home. Not at his, but at their place. And not at the guestroom she had frostily assigned to him early in the evening the day before, but in their bed.

Silver had obviously been planning to proceed slowlier. The thought made him grin. She had equally obviously fallen victim to her own desire. Well, he hadn´t seen the necessity to stop her.

Six months. Six long months of frustration and rage, ups and downs, progress and regress, despair, hunger and doubts.

He listened in on the quiet morning, her breathing and his feelings.

Six months of hoping to re-experience waking up right next to her just like this.

He couldn´t withstand the temptation to follow the lines of the breathtaking tattoo winding up her spine with his fingertips. The touch made her move, but only to relax again with a deep breath.

He had fallen for her right the night he had first seen her. Not that there wouldn´t have been plenty of other goodlooking girls there that night. In fact, there had been some kind of table dance contest. Her rivals had been mostly faceless blondes wearing too much makeup, dancing to the usual lasciviously innocent songs. And then, there had been her, the tall black-haired girl with the amazing tattoos in the silver dress. She had danced to some epic darkwave song, doing her own thing, never averting her eyes, the message clear : _You want something, buddy ? Come try and get it._

He had tried and succeeded. And, he mused, he should be damn grateful for that.

_Don´t screw this up, dude, _a warning voice told him inside his head.

* * *

Drifting slowly from sleep back to consciousness, it took Silver a short while to realize what had happened to her carefully made plan for his return.

Well, that plan had not come together. That much was clear.

Still, she felt good. Right. And, admittedly, some sweet pain reminding her of last nights intense exercises of conjugal rights and duties.

Instead of turning towards him to wish him good morning, she kept silent and motionless and concentrated on taking it all in.

His free hand rested warm on her hip by now. He was awake and was surely aware of the fact that she had woken as well, but he didn´t push things. Well, better for him that way.

Silver closed her eyes again and cursed herself. With him around and the first kiss exchanged, she hadn´t stood a damn chance to stick to the plan and banish him for another while from their bedroom. She should have known that.

Closing her eyes caused some memories of the last night to come up again. Memories speeding up her heartbeat. After their first, admittedly rather badly needed and therefore not very romantic encounter, he had done what she used to love and hate him for at the same time and had taken his time to torture her softly into surrender.

It made her think back of how all this had begun years ago. Like so many decisions she had taken ever since regarding him, the one to share not only a drink, but the night with him as well had been taken within the instant.

Silver had never had a problem with an occasional one night stand, but she had usually known the guys she spent the night with longer than some hours. With Gunnar, things had been different. For some reason, she had trusted him despite the fact that he had surely been the biggest badass she had ever gotten involved with. He hadn´t betrayed her confidence. In some ways, the last night had been just like this first one back then. She had been lost right after the first kiss.

She remembered waking up right next to him back then, in a messy bed in the middle of some equally messy bachelor flat, with memories of a long and hot night not unalike the last one.

At first, things had been about sex only. The first couple of nights had been simply long and delightful. Then he had left for a job. The two weeks following had felt awkward and empty to Silver, and had made her start to think about the reasons for that.

When he had returned, covered in bruises and cuts, she had been in trouble. But instead of looking for some other nice company to spend the nights with, he had backed her up. She remembered with a smile that back then, he had not even known her real name.

When she finally turned towards him, they eyed each other up for a moment, as if to become aware again of with whom they had just spent the last hours.

„Missed you", he said after a long while quietly.

She threw him a dark look. They had seen each other almost every day during the last months and if that had not been possible, they had talked at least.

She was close to reproach him sharply, but bit her tongue.

They both knew that it was not what he had been talking about. He had been talking about the fact that she had refused him to come home again and had just allowed him to do so for the first time the night before.

He watched her facial expression soften again.

„I want that back", she said gruffly instead of a rebuke, tugging softly at the small ring he was still wearing on the chain around his neck right next to his own.

„Right now ?"

„Later on", she answered.

Averting her gaze, she nestled up against him, her head against his chest.

„I missed you too", she whispered.


	3. Chapter 3

„I said I´ll take care of it!" Gunnar barked.

„Yeah, you _said_ that...just you never _did_ it", Silver retorted quietly.

„I would have done it!" Gunnar shouted.

Silver pressed her lips together. She hated to be shouted at, but she had sworn herself to return the same patience to him that he had granted her years ago. So shouting back was for now not an option.

He took a step forward.

„Have I ever broken a damn promise I made to you ?"

She kept silent, but held his gaze.

„Have I ?"

He banged one fist angrily against the cupboard door behind her and she flinched.

He regretted to have done so the moment he saw her wince, but was simply not able to control his anger.

For a silent moment, they just looked at each other. It was a contest of wills.

Then the roaring of a bike became audible out on the street. From the sound of it, somebody parked it at the driveway.

„You´re expecting someone ?" he asked.

„Think it´s Barney."

He tilted his head, surprised.

„Where the hell would you know from that he´s coming by ?"

„I called him this morning."

„You called him ?" he shouted. „Why ?!"

„`cause you´re out of your goddamn mind! You need to do something!"

„Like what ?"

„Like training ?"

„I am not in the mood for _training_! Since when do you make training arrangements for me, huh ?"

He had started to speak louder again and had ended shouting at her again.

Someone knocked at the front door.

„Somebody home ?" Barney asked from there.

„Think about it", she hissed. „Since when are you shouting at me ?"

„Hey", Barney said, entering the kitchen.

„Be careful!" Silver warned him „We´re in a bad mood."

She smiled to him while Gunnar only gave him a dark stare.

„The both of you ?" Barney inquired.

There was another pause while Silver and Gunnar stared at each other, neither of them willing to give in.

„Or just him ?" Barney asked.

He grinned, remembering Silver calling him earlier that day. Skipping all nice conversation to begin with, she had come to business quickly.

„You remember tellin´ me that if there´s something you could do..."

„I remember", he had interrupted her. „Still applies."

„Nice!" she had answered. „Then I would really appreciate it if you could come by and do something."

„Something like what ?"

„I don´t know. Just do something about him - before I do something _to_ him!"

„So what´s the problem ?" Barney had inquired.

„He´s is bored to death and aggressive like a caged wild animal...I´ve never seen him like this before and he´s driving me crazy!"

Gunnar had suddenly become audible in the background, calling out for her, then swearing. Barney didn´t understand the words and mused that his teammate was speaking Swedish.

„He´s shouting at you ?"

Silver had sighed.

„Yeah. Actually, he hasn´t talked normally to me for days. I really start to hate it!"

Gunnar called for her again.

„Sorry, Barney, I got to go before he freaks out completely. Think you can do something for me, or, rather him ?"

Barney had chuckled.

„Think so",he said. „I´ll come along. When does it suit you ?"

Silver sighed. „Any time, man, just any time!"

* * *

When Gunnar returned early in the evening, Silver had just finished cooking. The whole house was filled by a delicious scent.

„Hey", she called from the kitchen. „Just on time! You´re hungry ?"

There was no answer. She peeked around the corner.

Throwing her only a dark sideglance, he dropped his backpack right where he stood and fired his keys to the small table right next to the door. He looked as if his mood was even fouler than before. Besides that, he sported a still developping bruise over one eye.

He passed her without a word, grabbed a bottle of beer out of the fridge and marched to the living room where he put the tv on.

Silver grimaced behind his back. It seemed that her and Barney´s plan - whatever it may have exactly looked like - hadn´t worked. With Barney already there, he had agreed in the end to go with him to the gym. But Silver had known from the fact that he hadn´t even looked at her once before he had left that he had been damn mad at her for calling the friend.

She granted him another minute, then followed him, an icepack in one hand.

She circled the couch he had let himself fallen down to and sat down on the edge. Ignoring his dark stare, she bent a little forward to have a better look at the bruise.

The high sound level of the tv unnerved her suddenly and she grabbed the remote to turn it down a little. Gunnar liked watching soccer, a sport Silver had always failed to understand the rules.

„Hey!" he intervened, reaching out for the remote, but she didn´t let him get hold of it and put it back to the table.

Doing her best to stay calm, she bent a little forward again to put the icepack carefully to his bruise. Unfortunately, he chose the same moment to move as well.

„Shit!" she said. „I am sorry. Didn´t mean to..."

She had another try at carefully cooling the bruise, but he evaded her touch.

She sighed.

„Hold still!" she ordered, losing patience.

To her surprise, he obeyed. Still not keen on locking eyes, he chose to close his. For a minute or two, neither of them spoke.

„So, how was your day, darlin´ ?" she asked then.

Her soft tone made him open his eyes again to make sure that it was still the same woman sitting right next to him, putting that icepack to his face.

She returned his look silently.

„Listen to me", he said, leaning a little in on her,"and listen damn good - never - ever - again you turn my friends against me!"

Silver had never succeeded at putting on a pokerface. Her rising emotions showed clearly on her face. Still, when she spoke up, her voice was calm, though it took her obviously a lot to keep it that way.

„Are you in pain ?" she asked.

He tilted his head.

„Yeah", he answered hesitantly, not sure where the question would lead.

„Good", she said quietly.

„You wish me that?" he asked in a dangerously calm way.

She sat still, holding his gaze.

„This you deserve", she said.

„Your damn idleness won´t bring you back on the team", she went on. „It´s not my fault that you´ve got your share today, it´s yours, doing nothing besides growing fat and lazy! You know how sluggish you´ve become, don´t tell me otherwise! I´ve done fuckin´ everything to give the decent loving wife here for the last three weeks and you did nothing else than nagging and shouting at me! I am wondering, when will you start doing your part ?"

Some seconds passed.

„You´re a goddamn witch!" he said then.

Siver sighed in relief. The critical moment had passed.

„Thought that´s why you married me."

He sat back and took the icepack out of her hand.

„Gimme this", he demanded grumpily. „I´ll rather do this myself. And just for the record, I married you ´cause of your eyes!"

She crossed her arms in front of her.

„Who gave you that ?" she asked, pointing lazily at his face.

„Toll Road", he mumbled. „Why ?"

„Remind me to thank him."

„You really hate me, huh ?"

She shrugged.

„You gave me reason! You know, I remember a man telling me that if nothing else, at least pain would always remind him that he´s still alive."

„Bet I was drunk when I told you that."

She shrugged.

„I just hope they gave you the damn whole package."

„Don´t worry", he mumbled. „They did."

He had a bad idea of how he would feel the next day.

„Great. That will hopefully bring you back to your senses! So, you´re hungry ?"

He frowned. It had been damn hard to resist the good scent in the first place.

„Just don´t make things any harder for yourself and admit it", she advised him.

„You´ll serve me some dinner here ?" he asked, watching her getting up.

She threw him a wry glance over her shoulder.

„Move your ass and get some", she suggested.

„Bet you´ve burned it anyway", he commented, just loud enough to make sure that she would still hear it on her way back to the kitchen.

„Well, skip it then", she called from the kitchen. "Won´t hurt!"

„Just so you know, I married you only ´cause of your -„

„Ass, I know", she finished his sentence. Though he couldn´t see her, he was sure that she was rolling her eyes at his words. „Now get original and get off yours, alright ?"


End file.
